Told from the Eyes of a Boy
by Sitily
Summary: .Major Jate. Set just after the finale of season one. Walt washes up on shore with a broken hand, and Jack and Kate try to help him piece together what happened. While he does a little piecing together of his own. . .
1. Chapter 1

"**Told from the Eyes of a Boy"**

**Chapter #1**

A young boy's eye is closed.

The sound of waves crash around him.

And faintly, somewhere distant, but coming closer, a dog barks.

The waves crash again.

And behind Walt's eye lid his eye flickers.

During irregular periods of consciousness when Walt revisited the world he vaguely felt the warmth of hot morning spider across his neck and cheek twisted towards the hot open sun.

His eyes gaze open to a blurry world bordering perspicuity. The dark birds circling above him dizzied the pain and he had to close his eyes again to haunting memories. Vague memories of a thick leather belt wrapped around his neck, and how he cried for his father as they cruelly and deliberately broke each of his small fingers.

The barking dog was present now, Walt felt him there licking wildly at his face with its wide sandpaper tongue, lapping up the ocean water and beach sand sprayed on his tender face.

The bark of his dog rang painfully in Walt's ears, until another pain seeped into his consciousness. Walt looked down to the throbbing pain in his hand, partially buried now with wet sand. His limp twisted fingers poking upwards through the beach surface. Without the strength of motion Walt's crumpled mind drifted off again into the baking sun.

Walt would not have wakened up without the frantic hustle surrounding him.

Gasping his eyes shot open.

Hands touched him, reached for him, many hands. And with each new hand came images, flooding his mind in random chaos; Memories and Foreshadowings, jumbling together, Fears and Passions, Worries and terrors, Strangers and Familiar Faces. Among the familiar faces he recognized flashes of Jin, his kindness and cruelty, sweeping past in wild bursts in his mind. There too Walt caught images of Boon, bloodied and dying, stretched out in pain. And a strong image of Sawyer that repeated over and over and over.

Voices began to accompany the image flashes; Shannon screaming, someone dying, then someone else, the sound of a gunshot, and Kate crying. Then over the jumble of chaotic noise a voice came strongly through.

"Walt. . . Walt? Can you hear me? Jack! Jack! I think he's coming to."

Walt felt the tension seep from his body. He steadied his breathing and focused his eyes on the face above him: Sun stood smiling sweetly, yet in her eyes Walt saw a distant dread of utter fear. She spoke again, "Jack look. His eyes are focusing."

Another voice came solidly into focus. "Hey buddy, hey Walt, you're gonna be okay. You just sit still and breathe deeply." The doctor Jack had a look of relief spread across his face. "Your doing great, Walt, just great." He assured again.

It was difficult to focus on each face standing around him, but Walt knew they were all there, circled around anxiously. He could make out his old friend Mr. Locke though, who seemed to be pacing anxiously near the door. Yet Walt felt his concern was not for his safety but for something distant.

Feeling a squeeze on his arm Walt looked over to Kate, her face red with emotion. Walt knew her caring was sincere, but he wished she would let go of him most of all. He could feel the majority of intense images coming from her touch and he had trouble in his weak state forcing them all away.

"Alright everyone, let's give him some space." Jack said clearing the huddled group away. To Walt's relief Kate let go of him, along with Sun and the others, and the scurry of images running into his pounding head stopped abruptly.

Seeing clearly now, Walt looked around and knew exactly where he was; in Jack's old tent on the beach. The one Sawyer used when jack went to the caves. It was empty now, now that Sawyer, Jin, and his father set off on the raft to find help.

Suddenly, Walt panicked, 'His Father!'

"Dad!" he yelled sitting up to scan the room for his father. "Where's my dad?" Jack quickly rushed to Walt's side and tried to calm him holding his shoulders firmly down.

Looking to Jack apprehensively Walt asked again, "Where's my dad?"

Frowning Jack shook his head. Walt scanned the rest of the room who each averted his eyes sadly. It was Sun who bravely met his stare.

"We don't know Walt," she said, "We were hoping that you might know what happened." Walt leaned back and tried to think of his last memory, very little came. He remembered a boat with a large engine, a gun shot, his father falling into the ocean, and loud screaming, frantic screaming. With a shudder Walt remembered the screaming was his own. He shook his head. "I don't remember."

Sun continued, "Vincent found you washed up on shore down the beach. We still haven't seen you father. . . or Sawyer…" With Sawyer's name Walt caught an image flash into his head of Sawyer smiling devilishly and he knew the image had come from Kate, even from across the room her emotions were strong. He glanced to her watching her rub the emotion from her eyes. Sun gingerly finished, "… or Jin." Her eyes glossed over.

The tension in the room stood thick and powerful. Locke continued pacing and wringing his hands anxiously. Then with a sigh, Kate abruptly left walking towards the shore. The others followed slowly, sadly, parting ways to sneak away from the tension as well. Walt didn't mind seeing them go. He understood, he wanted to go himself, to find his father. But keeping him subdued Jack stayed, although Walt felt his thoughts somewhere else entirely.

"Jack. . ." Walt whispered painfully, "my fingers are broken."

The sight of Walt's small hand twisted oddly gave Jack a shiver. He forced a reassuring smile. "Okay," he replied sympathetically, "I'm going to set them for you." Digging into his case of makeshift tools Jack found items to help. Carefully he took each small finger and softly set and wrapped them, one by one, with cloth and small sticks for support.

Jack's touch was not as telling as the others. Walt could feel something powerful there, but as Jack touched his arm and hand he could only receive the impression that Jack was concerned with something. No with worry, but something deeper maybe, hidden, Walt couldn't exactly put his finger on it.

Walt flinched with pain as Jack touched his index finger. "Sorry." Jack sympathized trying to wrap the bent finger. To keep his mind off the pain in his hand Walt focused on his surroundings. The beach hut seemed bigger than he remembered it, with an open view to the ocean where Kate still stood gazing out to sea. Glancing back at Jack now finished setting his fingers Walt saw that his stare fixed on Kate as well.

Then, there it was. A glint of an image passed through Jack's defense and slipped it's way into Walt's consciousness. A smile, was all it was, in the orange light of a bonfire; Kate's smile. Mysterious and beautiful. The image came with a burst of feeling as intense as jealousy, but something different, a feeling mixed of longing and fear and regret.

Walt smiled because he already knew.

Noticing Walt's stare fixed on him Jack sheepishly took his focus off Kate and pretended to be interested in setting his fingers again. But Walt could still see it, the tenseness and uncertainness clawing cruelly inside of Jack.

Normally Walt saw things, all kinds of things, memories, foreshadowings, and even sometimes thoughts and desires. He had quickly found it in his best interest to keep quiet about them. Once he told his kindergarten teacher, Ms. Merchant that her brother was going to be in a bad car accident. Ms. Merchant did not like that very much. She liked it worse that afternoon when she received a phone call from home.

After time Walt had learned to keep quiet, he knew better than to unnecessarily cause attention to himself now. Yet, as he read what little Jack revealed, he knew the ending already, and thought to offer some kind of comfort.

He chose his words carefully. "Jack," he said, "She's worried for him, but she's waiting for you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter #2-**

For a long time, Walt didn't realize that he wasn't like other people. That other people didn't see images flash in their heads when they shook somebody's hand. That other people didn't hear snatches of unseen conversation when they picked up something another person had touched. Walt simply didn't know that it wasn't normal.

He was four or five the first time it happened. He and his step father had been in the grocery store when they met a lady that they knew from church. The lady's hand gripped Walt's chin hard, raising his face up so she could see him, and Walt had a flash of a powerful impact and a crushing pain. Later, when they were standing in the bright afternoon sunlight outside, he told his step father that the lady was going to be hit by a car. Walt was quickly scolded for making up stories, but the next day the newspaper told them both that Walt was right.

Walt knew that his step father first thought he was just looking for attention, but as the things he told him actually happened, Walt started to feel distance between them.

Walt found out soon enough that he had better keep his big mouth shut about the things he saw. It just seemed to make people mad if he told them that they were going to fail the history test they'd just taken or that their father was going to move out of the house.

It wasn't fun knowing things about his friends, even the deep personal things.

Each image that flashed into his head was different.

Not everyone had a happy ending.

Sometimes, Walt didn't see just the future, but events that had already happened.

The problem was that he usually couldn't tell which was which. Is the crossing guard an alcoholic because his wife left him or is his wife going to leave him because he's an alcoholic?

There wasn't much rhyme or reason to the things Walt had seen. He had given up trying to figure it out, but he did know that it had something to do with people's emotions. When emotions are strong, it was like they left some kind of electrical charge, and when he touched somebody or something, it was like getting a shock of them.

The ironic thing was that Walt only got flashes about other people. When it concerned him, he was clueless. Walt only regretted not getting some picture of his future once, the time his mother first got sick, maybe then he could have told her goodbye. Apparently, it didn't work that way.

By the time Walt was eight, he was used to keeping his little secret. He'd had years of practice at keeping the thoughts to himself, controlling the stray shudder when someone touched him. If they hadn't crashed on the island he could have kept on hiding.

Although Jack was no longer tending to Walt's injuries he was still there in his old beach hut concentrating on organizing his medical supplies. After the hectic morning tending to Walt his supply case had become a disaster pile.

As time passed Walt's boredom grew. "Jack?" Walt asked getting his attention. "Can I walk around?"

"Sure, if you feel up to it. This is your recovery room now." Jack said with a nod.

His own recovery room, Walt thought with a smile as he stood, careful to not disturb his hand bundled with cloth and sticks.

Only after a few moments of wandering Walt soon found his recovery room to still be a boring place. He considered sneaking out, but just as the thought passed Walt's mind Jack looked up from the medical case and shook his head with a firm look of 'Don't even think about it.'

'Wow,' Walt thought, 'that was almost creepy.' Walt knew Jack didn't have the same ability to see things, but it made him laugh to think that was what others must feel when he did the same thing to them.

Luckily Kate entered then to save the day. Things were never boring when both Kate and Jack were around.

The energy they both reflected was usually fun for Walt to decipher.

"Welcome to my recovery room." Walt said with a smile to greet her in.

"Hey Walt," she said kindly approaching him, "How are you feeling?"

Walt shrugged, "Fine, I guess."

Kate nodded; she was so easy to read. Walt felt uneasiness in her, a hesitation she was having about what she was about to do. Then with a bit of reluctance she pulled something from her pocket. "Here. I thought you might like this."

Extending her hand toward Walt, Kate held out a miniature toy plane. "Don't lose it, I'll need it back," She quickly added, "but I thought it might give you something else to think about."

Glancing at Kate and the tiny plane Walt felt Jack smile. Turning to look Walt sees a look pass between them that he cannot read, and he feels like a stranger there in his own recovery room.

The plane did look cool, although, Walt had no idea what it meant, but when he took it out of Kate's hand, it felt like an electric current ran through him. Image after image crashed over him like rough waves: hands pressing down on a bleeding chest, the wet sound of running steps escaping, and blood. So much blood.

Walt's stomach heaved, and he stumbled to the sand, catching himself with his good hand. The images still exploding like ugly fireworks in his head. The emotion the plane carried was strong, too strong. He sat with his face resting against the sand, as he tried to isolate the details of what he had seen.

Sometimes Walt wished he could just shut it all out, tell the images to go to hell and never again touch a thing. Sometimes he'd give anything not to see the things he saw, but, it just didn't work that way.

Both Kate and Jack lunged for him after he fell, but Walt pushed them away.

The last thing he needed was another wave of images to come crashing in on him.

Independently but under the eyes of both Jack and Kate, Walt stood and crept back to the makeshift bed to rest. As Kate picked the plane back up from the sand Walt sees Jack glance at her when he doesn't think she'll notice, but Walt senses her constant awareness of him. There is a strain between them that perhaps is always there; push and pull, come together and break away.

That was what made them so interesting to observe.

"That's a good idea Walt," Jack said following Walt to the row of seat cushions, "just keep resting there until you feel better."

Sitting up on the padding Walt hung his pounding head between his knees, all the while watching them out of the corner of his eye.

They seem uncomfortable with each other, somehow awkward and connected all at once.

As they look to one another Walt sways a bit being hit with an ache deep inside, another image comes to him, and he sees them clinging together in the middle of the island, wet with rain and fear, and full of longing and need. For some reason this time the image cheers him up. Sometimes having this gift was fun, when there was a happy ending.

Eyeing them both Walt wonders if this scene image had already happened.

Walt understood their feelings towards each other better than they did, yet he could see them in that situation already without having to come out and admit it to one another. Both afraid for their lives clinging onto one another for protection and yet finding comfort there.

With Walt's ability he had experienced far more than regular kids his age.

Through the eyes of another he had experienced intense pain, and desire, and misery.

It didn't embarrass him like it used to, he was familiar with the feelings now.

And in an odd way, was proud of them as well.

Walking towards Jack, Kate lowered her pack off her back. "I brought you some water." She said unzipping the large zipper. "Thank you." Jack replied taking it casually from her.

The monotony of it all amused Walt. How they could so casually treat each other yet still harbor such strong unsaid feelings. Kate stood near Jack even after the bottle of water had been passed between them, waiting again for something Walt knew Jack was still not ready to give.

A voice came to Walt's mind mumbling at first then loudly, he heard the voice as it played through Jack's thoughts. They were Jack's many excuses; excuses to not fall in love again, or to trust Kate, or get comfortable. One name kept on repeating over and over. . . Sawyer. Walt knew that Jack was not afraid of Sawyer physically, he had punched him before and it felt good to Jack to see Sawyer flail back like that, it was Kate that made him nervous. Sawyer's feelings were obvious towards her. But with Kate Jack was not so sure.

Sadly Jack stepped backed away from Kate.

Kate understood, "I'm going to go." she replied apologetically.

Walt shook his head disappointed. They were so close he thought now watching Kate back away slowly to gather her backpack. He knew if they had more moments like this that their walls would break down, and they would make it work.

He had to keep her there, Walt thought, thinking quickly he screamed with all his might and fell, it was dramatic he knew, but something had to keep Kate there.

They had to keep talking; the tension between them was not only becoming repetitive but old too.

With his eyes closed Walt felt them both run to his side.

"Are you going to be okay?" Kate asked. Both Jack and Kate reach out to steady him as Walt sways again. As their hands touch him at the same time, he is jolted with an impression of such passionate lovemaking that Walt feels his face flush. Fierce kisses, lips bruising against lips; hands roaming, and hungry and pounding, driving, aching need all overwhelm Walt's senses as his eyes shut tight.

When he opens them again, Walt sees worried looks on Jack and Kate's sober faces, and he has to force himself not to grin. They would make it work; he knew sensing that it was an image flash of the future seeing that they didn't seem like lovers yet.

The feeling that came with the image was something he hadn't felt from Kate in a long time, or Jack for that matter either. A feeling of completeness.

They would be happier if they had each other now, Walt knew. Have the other to rely on, and to care for, but the way things were going now it would take forever until they built up that kind of trust and dependency on one another. There was nothing to do for them, but wait. . . . or was there?

Suddenly an idea hit him, one day in recovery had already been so boring, having to lie down all afternoon, and according to Jack he was going to be spending a lot of time there recovering. Who's to say he couldn't have a little fun while he was at it? With his gift and through the help of the island perhaps, Walt thought, He could move things along much quicker between Jack and Kate.

Through Mr. Locke's eyes Walt had seen into the eye of the island, although he didn't entirely trust it, he knew he could get it to help with his scheme. It would at least give him something fun to do.

As a clear plan began to form in his mind Walt laughed aloud, this was going to be fun, Walt thought. Suddenly that image of the future did not seem so far away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter#3**

Reviewing old image flashes wasn't impossible if Walt really concentrated.

They were pieces, bits and crumbs that he had to sort through. Each image flash he had seen was a puzzle even to Walt. Past, Present, and Future it didn't matter it all came out in one jumbled lump. But there were clues that helped him sort through the mess, if he paid attention. There were patterns to follow; Events that if followed by correct actions would lead to future images. Kate and Jack would fall in love, he knew that, he had seen it in their future, but if he paid attention he could put the images together, like a puzzle forcing new events to occur.

One image reoccurred to him again, it was something simple; a conversation was all, not even between Jack and Kate, but something in the dialogue rang and resonated with force. Walt knew he had to get that conversation started. It would be Locke, who got things in motion. Locke was the first piece of the puzzle of images into the future, Kate's future.

"Hey Walt, how are you feeling?"

Walt looked up surprised to see Kate enter his recovery room. He had been so deep in thought he hadn't realized her approaching. "Fine." He replied coolly.

The recovery room was empty besides the two of them. Jack had left shortly beforehand when Sun came by announcing that another passenger, Clint, needed medical attention after slicing his ankle open on a sharp ocean rock while fishing. Jack had taken his medical case and left quickly.

"Where's Jack?" Kate asked looking around the empty hut.

Walt smiled. "Just what I thought," he chided, "quit pretending that you've been coming by here on account of me." Kate face flushed.

"I uh, brought some fruit is all." She replied setting a pair of guavas on a nearby box. "I thought you both might be hungry."

Walt had to admit he felt a little guilty for his comment as he watched Kate try to recover from it. Loose hair fell in her face and she made no attempt to sweep it back up under her ear. He had caught her off guard and knew better than to expose another's unsaid motivation. But this time he was not in the mood for their superfluous chitchat. He had to get Kate to Locke.

"Oh um, Locke came by here, he was looking for you." Walt lied. He would have to get her to him. "He seemed really concerned about something. He said to have you find him."

"Alright." Kate nodded eager for the cue to leave. "If you need anything. . ."

Walt shook his head no. "Thanks for the guavas." He called as she headed out.

Before disappearing from Walt's view he caught a glimpse of her smile back at him. She was pretty, he thought. No wonder they all acted like buffoons around her.

Watching Kate walk down the beach in search for Locke made Walt smile; As simple as that and his plan had been put into motion. Getting that conversation started was the first step and Kate was on her way. Jack though was going to need a little more encouragement.

Finding Locke was easier than Kate expected.

"Walt said you were looking for me." She said stepping into the clearing where Locke stood gathering long bits of leftover wire from Michael's raft.

"Looking for you?" He questioned then thought better of it, "Actually I could use your help since you're here."

"Sure," Kate shrugged bending down to help collect the long wires. "What is all this for?"

"I've gathered some of the others together to help me build a long rope to get down into the hatch,"

Of all the things to be concerned with Kate felt herself appall that this was what Locke had been so edgy about. "Locke why are you so eager to get into that stupid hatch?"

"What I don't understand is why the rest of you aren't as eager to get down there." He said with a deep breath as he stood tall and stretched. Locke was covered with sweat from a full day of obvious labor his shirt was wet in patches around his neckline and back. Wiping a trail of it from his neck he continued, "I want to discover what this island is so bent up on protecting."

"What is wrong with you?" Kate said disgusted dropping her pile of wire and rope to the sand. "If you didn't notice Walt has been hurt, probably tortured from the looks of it. Jin, Sawyer, and Michael are missing. They could be dead for all we know. And all you can think about it getting down that stupid hatch!"

"You don't understand Kate. This island, it has power."

"So what is it Locke." Kate asked folding her arms across her chest, tired of the argument. She had heard it all before. "Just what is this great thing you've experienced on the island that the rest of us apparently haven't. Because all we've gotten from this horrible place is sunburns and malnutrition."

"Kate," Locke said in the manner of trying to take a child seriously, "I think you have gotten a lot more than just that."

Kate felt her defenses rise. Just what was he getting at with that? She thought trying to sort through Locke's constant cryptic allegories.

Sensing Kate's opposition grow Locke attempted to calm her with a clear explanation. "Kate this island doesn't have to be miserable, if you just embrace the freedom of it. I've looked into the eye of this island, and what I saw. . . changed everything."

Kate considered this. The weight in Locke's eyes as he spoke was vivid. Whatever he meant by this Kate knew it was no exaggeration. "I want to see it then too," she said firmly, "What ever it is take me there."

"It doesn't work like that." Locke reproached her. "The island must choose you."

Kate rolled her eyes in obvious annoyance. She didn't have time for his obscure Cheshire Cat remarks anymore. "You know, that's fine. Make your own damn rope." She said turning her heel to him to walk back towards the beach hut. She was sure Jack was going to want to hear what Locke was up to as well.

"Jack! Jack!" Kate called storming back into Walt's recovery room.

"I see you've come to see me again." Walt smiled up at her from the bed.

Kate again was not amused. "Walt, do you know where Jack is?" She asked impatiently.

"Yeah, I told him that you were with Locke so he went looking for you two in the jungle." The truth was that Jack had not even been back yet, Walt figured he was still off tending to Clint's torn ankle. But the pattern of events had started and Walt knew what was next for Kate.

"Thanks!" She called back jogging towards the island's dense forest.

Soon after Kate had run off Jack returned with his medical case in tow.

Walt was beyond impatient. He had wanted to see Jack and Kate arm in arm by now. He sensed that the time was almost there. He just had to get Jack into the forest with Kate. Yet there was something there in Jack's head; a wall that Walt knew had to come down, at least partially, before anything would happen between them.

It made Walt laugh to him self, it was odd that he suddenly cared so much about getting Jack and Kate together. It wasn't any of his business if they were happy or not, he knew, but the new goal had made the entire afternoon of scheming much more fun.

"Kate came twice today while you were gone." Walt blurted out eager to start breaking down the wall around Jack. "She was looking for you." He said, then deliberately, coldly he continued, "How long are you going to make her wait."

Jack looked taken back by Walt's bluntness. "Why, what's wrong Walt."

"She's alone too Jack." He looked around the otherwise empty room, "And trust me on this, it stinks having to be alone."

"What are you getting at?" Jack looked confused setting his medical case down in the sand, "What did she say to you?" Suddenly the confusion turned to concern as Jack approached him tensely, "Is she okay?"

Walt hadn't meant to be so cryptic. "She's fine. She didn't say anything." He knew he was going about this the wrong way, but Walt couldn't help himself. "I may be just a kid, but I can still tell when someone needs companionship."

"I'm guessing you're not just talking about companionship." Jack said amused.

"She's really pretty Jack."

Jack smiled. "I know that."

"So," Walt prodded, "what are you waiting for."

"Walt," Jack laughed, "I think you're a little too young to understand adult relationships. Kate is just fine, and I'm fine. Everything will work out."

Walt smiled to himself, "I'm a little too young to know a lot of things. . ."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter #4**

Kate knew that she was lying on the ground. She could tell that from the cold irregular hardness pressing into her back. Yet her eyes remain opened, had she fallen? Where was she? Disoriented Kate struggled to stand leaning against a tree for support. She must have fainted she concludes. She had been feeling dizzy earlier; she should have brought more water she knew. Kate had run into the jungle after Jack on a whim, not thinking. A chill of night air pushed up against her spine. Where was she? The wilderness of the island seemed uninviting now, dark and dank. As she stepped forward her footsteps felt hollow against the underbrush and bramble of the forest floor.

Without warning in the dark corner of the somber jungle a quick flash of light sparked, catching Kate's attention. Immerging from the darkness a puff of dry smoke materialized followed by a man's silhouette outlined in the smoke.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him.

"Sawyer!"

Sawyer stood proudly among the trees flashing that cocky smile Kate was all too familiar with. Then with an indifferent gesture he leaned back against the trunk of a large tree. "Hey Freckles, Did you miss me?"

He looked rugged and sun burnt, probably from the long hours on the raft. Kate smiled, it was good to see him. Any company in this silent wilderness was greatly welcomed. "Is everyone okay? When did you make it back? What happened? How did you find me?" Kate's questions came faster then she could ask them.

"Everyone's fine they are all back at the beach." He said intrepidly, "The stupid raft isn't working so we had to come back."

"But Walt," Kate argued, "he seemed really beaten up."

"Yeah," Sawyer agreed, "poor kid fell in the ocean during a storm. We were all really relieved to see him here alive. Michael had been going mad."

Kate smiled, "I'm relieved to see you all back here alive."

"Whose dumb-ass idea was it anyways to take that dinky raft out to the ocean like that?" Sawyer complained.

Kate shrugged an I-don't-know shrug, still just thankful that they were safe.

"It was as pointless as donating slim-fast to Somalia"

It felt good to laugh, Sawyer always had that effect on her. She had been tense and worried all afternoon and yet she began to feel better just seeing him there.

"Why are you so far out here anyway Freckles?" He asked engagingly, beginning to circle her. Kate caught a look in his eye that made her a little nervous.

"Walt said Jack came this way. And I just got lost, I think,' She replied, "I fainted and then it was dark and I couldn't remember which way I came."

"Well it's a good thing I'd come around then, eh."

Kate nodded. Something about this confrontation felt awkward. Just as she thought it a rain drop hit her cheek, and then another. The island sometimes did this began to rain for no apparent reason.

"You didn't say goodbye." Sawyer's eyes seemed wild, as he approached her. She stepped back. "It's private here." He said above the rain as it grew louder. "I don't think anyone would hear you if you screamed."

"What?"

Suddenly Sawyer had her by the wrist. Quickly she twisted away from him pushing him back with force. Kate was not one to take any form of cruelty lightly.

"What are you doing?" She screamed over the rain now pouring over them like heavy sand.

"What's wrong Freckles," Sawyer jested snatching her arm up, "We already made out. Besides I know you want it."

"Let go of me!" Kate protested with bold eyes threatening him away.

Kate knew that Sawyer had done some pretty horrible things in his life, but so had she and she never thought him capable of this. Kate partially hoped it was all still some kind of a joke and half waited for him to crack a smile and back off. But then he came at her again.

Twisting her wrist hard Sawyer pushed Kate down against the trunk of a tree. She thrashed against him, to no avail. He was much stronger than she remembered and no amount of struggle loosened his grip it just seemed to entwine them more.

"Sawyer," She pleaded looking up into his heated eyes, "Don't do this."

Deftly Sawyer held both of Kate's wrists above her head with one hand. She fought wildly against it exhausting herself with kicks and thrashing. Kate could never remember him having such force. Reaching down with the other hand Sawyer undid the top button of her shirt.

Kate's voice choked up inside of her.

Suddenly Kate felt Sawyer's weight lift off of her as he toppled over to her side pounding against another tree. She breathed a breath she didn't know she had been holding. And saw as a figure in the rain lifted Sawyer off the ground and hit him again.

Kate's eyes focused through the rain at Jack as he picked Sawyer from the ground again and pushed him back away into the wilderness. Rather than retaliate sawyer ran.

I felt like some kind of cheesy movie moment or harlequin novel, watching Jack gallantly knock the snot out of Sawyer. Normally Kate hated physical violence, but this time she felt no remorse for him. In truth, it actually made her hot seeing Jack there as his muscles and tattoos showed though his wet shirt.

"Kate." He said reaching down to help her up. "Are you alright?"

It was odd having him see her vulnerable like this, she had been afraid of vulnerability for so long, but as he stood over her pressing his wet palm against hers it felt safer than anything. She stood into the rain letting it run down her fingers. She watched the water run down his face and trickle past his lips. If he didn't kiss her now, she thought, she would die.

"Yeah." She heard herself say unable to look past his lips to his eyes.

His lips parted letting some of the rainwater in, "Kate I need to tell you something."

Pressure built inside of her, she wanted to go to him, hold him, but she also needed to hear what he had to say. And she knew that he needed to say it aloud.

His face shook and the rain fell from him gently. "I don't know what you feel or how you even feel; All I know is that I've been too busy being responsible to realize that I am miserable without you." Stooping down his eyes met hers, "Kate I love you."

Kate forgot to breathe.

A tense moment passed as they both stood watching the rain drip from each others faces. Kate fixed her eyes again on his lips begging them with her will power to come to her. She nodded and they obeyed. Forcefully Jack took Kate's face in his hands and took her lips into his kissing her fully. Kate didn't hold back but returned the kiss. Leaning into her level his craving for her intensified, as he pushed her back against the tree behind them. Kate felt her back thud against the rough wet bark of the tree and didn't care about the giant bruise that would be there tomorrow. In fact it exhilarated her more and she felt herself smile under his kisses. She would have never guessed Jack to be this intense, but she loved it, needed it. The tension had been pent up for so long. Her head arched back as she felt Jack's lips lower to her jaw line and neck. If she died this very moment she would not have cared.

Kate felt her fingers rake through Jack's stubble hair. She could not get enough of him. His fingertips felt like raindrops on her skin as his hands crept down her face to her neck and then to her shirt. The buttons came off slowly, too slow. Kate reached up, grabbed at her shirt collar, and tore downwards. The wet fabric didn't tear as well as she had planned but the buttons broke off nicely and the pesky shirt lay now a few feet away.

"Hold on." Jack stepped back and smiled taking a backpack from his shoulders, and pulling his shirt up and over his head. Jacks chest glistened with rainwater as it drizzled down his chest and abs.

'Wow,' Kate thought with a smile, 'He'd make a good nudist.'

From the bag Jack pulled out a thin airplane blanket and spread it across the forest floor. Then with a charming gesture he pulled Kate right down along with it. She smiled at the thought that he may have planned this and went right for his lips again sucking the honey flavor from them.

Making love to Jack was everything Kate had imagined it to be. Their rhythm was in sync and natural. He was gentle and yet intense, and afterwards he held her tight to him as they fell asleep their under the stars of the island.

Just before feeling her self fall asleep Kate heard Jack whisper so quietly that only the smallest hairs on the back of her neck heard him. "We should have done that along time ago." Jack he said. Kate bit her kip trying to keep from smiling wide.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter #5**

Kate awoke as the sun's brilliant rays crept through the overhang of the trees and nestled on her face. She felt warm and vibrant waking up, refreshed and beautiful. It had been an amazing night, feeling Jack's kisses in her neck every time she stirred in her sleep. At times she stirred on purpose loving the smell of him that his kisses left behind. Kate sat and stretched comfortably at the beautiful morning. The night before had been amazing. Something that she had only dreamt about.

Kate turned to where Jack had been and found an empty space staring back at her. In the night he had mentioned that he would need to check on Walt again early this morning, but waking up without him there beside her, holding her was hard. She promised herself that it would never happen again.

Oddly, looking around, Kate recognized this place. It had a much different feel at night, but now in the morning light she knew exactly where she was. It was actually a place she had commonly come to stop for a rest or to find time alone. Making it back to the beach from here would be easy, how funny she thought, that she had been lost so close to camp.

Kate found Jack down by the water collecting fish from Hurley. He looked sexy in the sunlight there on the beach and she had to control herself from jumping him right then in front of everyone. As she approached Hurly didn't give her the immature googley eyes she expected and figured that Jack hadn't told him yet. She didn't care. If Jack wanted to keep their reunions private she didn't mind as long as they continued.

Looking up from Hurly Jack brightened as Kate approached. He had always done that when he saw her, Kate realized with a grin, and she loved it. "Hi." she smiled. He smiled back. "Hi Kate."

Bending down Jack threw the last of Hurley's fish into a basket. Standing straight again he brushed his hands together knocking the wet sand from them. Jack looked for conversation, "How did you sleep last night?"

Feeling daring Kate stepped to him and smiled coyly. "You should know." She said grabbing his ass. Jack's eyes widened with amusing surprise.

Triumphantly she caught the look of giddy surprise on Hurley's face as she walked away. She didn't get far before she heard her name called out.

"Kate!" Locke called walking towards her, "Where have you been? Jack was looking for you last night."

Kate smiled unable to keep the bounce from her step, "Well he found me."

Locke eyed her curiously, "Why are you so chipper?" he asked, "It's not like you."

Kate grinned, "I'm just doing what you said Locke, and experiencing the beauty of this island." Locke's eyes widened and he grabbed her arm urgently.

"The island chose you didn't it." He said intensely, "What did you see?"

Kate shook him away annoyed, "I don't know what you're talking about." She said rubbing the sore spot at her arm where he had grabbed.

"What did you do last night?" Locke asked his eyes shining wildly.

Kate considered his question carefully to keep out the details. "Well, I went into the jungle and bumped into Sawyer there who told me about the guys on the raft who all made it back. "She smiled mischievously at the next bit of detail, "Then I watched Jack pound on Sawyer for being a complete ass." She straightened, "Then Jack and I spent some time together."

"So you saw that Sawyer was okay and survived the raft, and then," he tried to control a chuckle, "then you made love to Jack."

Kate felt defensive. It was like he was reading the words right off of her forehead. "After Jack beat the sense out of Sawyer, yes."

Locke laughed, "Well, if that was what the island made you see."

"I don't understand. The island didn't make me see anything," Kate protested, "Ask Sawyer he was there he got the life almost knocked out of him." But even as Kate felt herself say the words, something seemed odd. She looked down at her shirt still clinging to her body each button still in perfect place.

"Sawyer?" Locke laughed, "Sawyer, no one has seen or heard from Sawyer or anyone else from the raft since they left. Well, besides Walt, who doesn't seem to remember a thing either."

Suddenly Kate's world got fuzzy. And she stumbled back.

"Remember when I said that the island has a power Kate?" She didn't nod a reply but heard him anyway, "Well it does, and it's chosen you too."

Kate couldn't speak. Locke's voice sounded broken and unorganized in her head.

"Think about it." He continued, "What did the island make you see? It established that Sawyer is safe, it showed you your secret desire for Jack's dominance over him, and then it revealed Jack's need and longing for you. Hasn't your inner worry over those things what has kept you so tense and upset lately?" When Kate didn't reply Locke continued, "Maybe we'll all get a chance to see our perfect moments. I had mine, Boone had his, and now you have been able to see what you truly desire."

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing, "So it was all an illusion," she whispered somberly, then remembering the detail of how Jack's wet lips felt against hers and how he smelt as he held her close to him she retracted, "but, no, it couldn't be. I remember it so clearly."

Locke stood unmoving. "So did I, and so did Boon."

Kate shook her head as Locke did his best to explain, "What Boon saw was something he had a secret deep desire for, but couldn't even admit it to himself. It took me three days to convince him that what he experienced was from the island, seeing a desire in the depth of his subconscious. I think your desires Kate were a little more obvious."

"It didn't happen." Kate stated remembering the empty space next to her as she woke up, knowing in her gut that Jack would have never left her without saying goodbye. Her eyes glossed over. Locke nodded.

"Oh no." She whispered, remembering her recent encounter with Jack. She had grabbed his ass, and there was no way she would be able to take that back with the look she gave him. He would think she was absolutely crazy. She panicked, what was he thinking now?

Turning Kate dashed furiously away stopping shortly at the wreckage of the fuselage. She couldn't understand it, didn't want to. It had all felt so real so tangible. She kicked a lump of sand in the air and watched it dust up then settle again. It wasn't fair. She felt cheated and compromised. Oddly she felt herself furious with Jack. Why couldn't it have been him? Why wouldn't he go to her like that? Couldn't he see that she loved him? The questions fumed through her mind. Why didn't he need her?

She had to see him.

Silently Kate slipped into the opening of Walt's recovery hut out of view and watched Jack work. His bare cannonball shoulders bent sweetly, hanging down to meticulously check each of Walt's small cast fingers. Jack was like that, Kate thought, one to take care of the details. Kate frowned bitter sweetly. It felt so real. Her eyes softened watching Jack from behind. She could remember the way he touched her, the way he felt under her skin, how he tasted. Had she somehow made all that up? It still felt too real to be in her head.

Her eyes moistened. Maybe, she admitted reluctantly to herself, he would never see her or need her like she needed him.

Under the stare of Kate, Walt caught it all.


End file.
